Transcript Mythological Gods and Goddesses

In Greek mythology, twelve main gods and
goddesses ruled the universe from atop
Greece's Mount Olympus. These Olympians had
come to power after their leader, Zeus,
overthrew his father, Kronos, leader of the
Titans. the Olympians are all related to one
another:
Aphrodite - Apollo - Ares - Artemis - Athena - Demeter Hephaestus - Hera - Hermes - Hestia Poseidon - Zeus
Unlike other early civilizations, Greeks
made their gods in their own image. They
assigned human frailties as well as
superhuman strengths to their
gods. For example, the
highest of all gods, Zeus,
was very powerful as well
as unfaithful to his wife, Hera.
The gods could be fair and generous,
as well as mean and spiteful. They often
meddled in human affairs.
Zeus divided the world between
himself and his brothers Poseidon
and Hades. Zeus ruled the sky and
the living; Poseidon ruled the Seas
and all who traveled on it;
and Hades ruled the
underworld which was
the
land of the dead.
The most powerful of all, Zeus
was god of the sky and the king of
Olympus. His temper affected the
weather, and he threw
thunderbolts when he was
unhappy. He was married to Hera,
but had many other lovers. His
symbols include the the
thunderbolt, eagle, and oak.
Poseidon is god of the sea,
horses, and earthquakes.
His symbol is the trident
with which he controls
the waters. He is the
brother of Zeus and is
almost as powerful.
Hades is the god of the
underworld. He is stern and
without pity, deaf to prayer
or flattery. He is a greedy
god who is greatly
concerned with increasing
his subjects. Those whose
calling increase the number
of dead were seen favorably
by him. He was also the god
of wealth, due to the
precious metals mined from
the earth.
Hades symbol
is a helmet
that renders
him invisible.
Although he is related to Zeus,
Hades is not considered an Olympian
God because he does not reside on
Mount Olympus.
Hera is the beautiful wife
and sister of Zeus. She is the
goddess of marriage and
family. She is a very jealous
goddess and gets very angry
when Zeus has affairs. The
peacock is her main symbol
because it is a very proud and
beautiful bird, like Hera
herself.
Hephaestus is a a son of Zeus and Hera. He
is the god of fire and craftsmen. Zeus
threw him down to earth and from then on
his legs were very weak, but he remained
gifted with very skillful hands. He works
at the bottom of volcanoes--that is why
there are sparks and fire from
some mountain tops. His wife is
the goddess Aphrodite.
Symbols are fire and
blacksmith’s hammer
Aphrodite is the goddess of love and
beauty. She was born from the ocean
and rose out of the water on a cushion
of foam. Her symbols are roses,
doves, sparrows, dolphins, and rams.
Her son is Eros, better known as
Cupid.
Ares was the god of war. He
was known for his thirst
for battle and blood. Ares
was not concerned with
justice. He just loved the
thrill of battle. His
symbols include a bloody
spear, the vulture, and the
dog.
Athena was the goddess
of wisdom. She was also
skilled in the art of war,
and helped heroes such
as Odysseus and Hercules.
Athena sprang full-grown from
the forehead of Zeus, and
became his favorite child. Her
symbols include the owl and the
olive tree.
Of all the Greek goddesses, Demeter was the
one who was truly able to empathize with the
human experience of suffering and grief. . . for
she had fully experienced it herself. As the
most nurturing of all the goddesses, she was
responsible for the fertility and the abundance
of the harvest. Her symbols are an ear of
wheat and the Horn of Plenty.
Persephone is the daughter of Demeter.
Wherever she dances, flowers grow.
Hades kidnapped her and because she ate
the food of the dead, she must return to
him each year. Because of this, demeter
created the seasons…when Persephone
dies each year, the cold weather falls
upon the Earth. Spring arrives when she
is reborn and reunited with her mother.
* Persephone is not considered an Olympian Goddess *
Apollo is the beautiful god of
the sun, light, medicine, and
music. He is creative, handsome,
and supportive of all the arts of
civilization. His symbols are the
sun itself, the lyre (a type of
musical instrument), the bow,
and the chariot he drives across
the sky daily. Apollo’s
twin sister is the
Olympian Goddess,
Artemis.
Artemis is the
independent goddess of
the hunt, the forest,
wildlife, childbirth,
and the moon.
Her symbol…
a bow and arrow
In general, Hermes is the
god of working class
people, athletes, gamblers,
and thieves. his main symbols
are the traveler’s hat and
the caduceus (staff with
snakes around it). Hermes is
often referred to as the
“messenger of the gods”. He
also serves as the main
“soul-guide” who escorts
the souls of the newly dead
to the Underworld.
Hestia is the calm
goddess of domestic
life. She is always
supportive of the
family and home.
She is symbolized by the
hearth and the tamed
fire which burns
there. Hestia is the
eldest sister of Zeus,
and the gentlest of all
the Olympians.